Variety of orientational structures in the nematic liquid crystal droplets and their optical textures

A brief review of the orientational structures in the nematic liquid crystal droplets and the different factors specifying their formation has been presented. The basic factors are the correlation of elastic modules of liquid crystals, the size and form of droplets, the external influence (for example, electric field) and surface anchoring, specifying an orientation of nematic molecules at the interface. Features of structure formation inside the polymer dispersed liquid crystals have been considered in detail for the inhomogeneous boundary conditions.